Almond huller and sheller



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L. K. VAUGHAN ALMOND HULLER .um sHELLEn med sept. 25. 124 sheets-sheet z J-Fig'' M251 estais-a forten.

Louis VAUGHAN, or WOODLAND, cniironivrn.

ALMOND nULLEnAND SHELLER.

Application filed september 2s, ieee. rserial No; 739,295.

To all wwmz't may concern- Be it known that I, .Louis II. VAUGHAN, a citizen ofthe United `States, residing at Vioodland, county of Yolo, Stateyof California, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Almond IIullers andv almonds, or for shelling the vsame after they are hulled.

rllhe principal object` of myy invention .is to provide a machine for the purpose so that almonds of any and all sizes maybe efficiently hulled, and ,with a subsequent operation the hulled nuts may be shelled without any substitution of differentparts for the two operations being necessary. Suitablc adjustment mechanism which I have provided, is all that is necessary to place vthe parts of the hulling or shelling'mechanism in the proper relation to each other to handle .the unhulled nuts, which are relatively large, or the hulled nuts to be shelled, which are of course smaller than the nuts with their hulls on.

.Another object is to provide a simple form of adjustable feed control means,`so that the output from the hulling or shelling mechanism maybe regulated to suit, and re-, gardless of the quantity of nuts which may be placed in the initial feed hoppen Therefore without interfering with the eiiiciency of the hulhng or shelling operations, the

rate of out-put may be regulated according whereby the hulled or shelled nuts, witlrthe matter removed therefrom, will be automatically andpositively vdischarged from the structure after said nuts have been worked on, thereby preventing clogging up rof the machine.

VWhile I am using the machine at the pres'enttime fOrhandIing almonds, and I have shown andgdescribed the machine as designed for such purpose in the drawings and description hereafter 'set forth, the ap` paratus isaKlintirab lyA adaptedtob'e used ink handling not only nuts of any and all kinds,

but also for hulling or thrashing corn, beans,

and also for stemming raisins.

Then using the device for the above named different purposes, few if any changes in construction would be necessary, and-any suchif made, would be of a minor nature which would not affect the principle of operation or main structure of the apparatus. y

A further object of the invention is to produce va simple and inexpensive ydevice and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for thepu'rpose for which it is designed.

These vobjects I accomplish by means of such struct-ure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the followingL specification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views: A

`Ilig. l is a side elevation of my improved huller and Sheller, showing the same arranged in unitary conjunction with va separating mechanism and other features to handle the nuts after they have been hulled or shelled. f

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse section of the hull-ing mechanism.

Fin, 3 is a cross section ofl the same` in line '3*-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the 'supporting structure for the hulling` and shelling mechanism consists essentially of four rigid `uprights l, preferably arranged at'the corners of a square area, and connected together at a` suitable distance from the ground by yltna-ns'verse and longitudinal beams 2, which support a solid -flooring 3.

A. vertical shaftil, driven in any suitable mannersuch as is hereinafter specified, is

journaled in 'the frame structure and projects up through the floor for a certain distance, this shaft being centrally disposed between. the four uprights. Fixed on this shaft above the floor and in spaced relation thereto is a solid circular disc 5, surrounded by an enlarged but concentric wall G mountedon the' floor 3 and `projecting a certain 4'distance above the disc. The space "between the discand'wall is suiiicient to receive nuts danger fsticking fllouiited on-the underface lofltbe fdiscyancl or .hulls of `any ysize therebetween without clearing the fioor are more or less radial sweeping vanes or blades 7, whosejouter ends just clear the wall 6. These bladesare arranged relative to the shaft and to the rdirection of rotation thereof so that any matter dropping off the ldisc onto the floor will be swept by said vanes off said floor and through a side outlet chute 8 leading horizontally from the wall 6 and disposed substantially tangential thereto.

The upper face of the` disc is covered throughout, except for a small area about and concentric with the shaft, `by a sheet of rough or vbroken surfaced material 9. I have found very suitable for this purpose, net or matting made of heavy wire witha very close mesh. v

Mounted above the disc 6 in spaced relation thereto is anotherrigid disc l() having on its under face a surfacing 11 the same as the surfacing 9 on the under disc.

TheV disc 10 is somewhat larger than the disc 9, and extends to the plane of the lwall C. Another wall l2 is fixed about the rim of the upper disc, maki g a neat sliding fit with the wall G.

The disc l() is held from rotating by any suitable nieanssuclrfor instance as transverse and spaced cleats 13 fixed thereon which slide between and are guided by horizontal beams 14 extending between the posts l above the beams 2. The space between said beams Zand 14 is covered by boards 15 or the like, to protect the disc walls, which are preferably of light sheet metal, from possible damage from outside which would affect their proper freedom of relative movement. Y Y

The discV i0 is constantlybut yieldably pressed toward the disc 5, but positively con-k trolled and raised and lowered atv will by the following structure: Mounted in and extending between the sidc'beamslf in horizontally spaced relation and parallel to said beams are turnable shafts lwliich serve as supports for transverse y spaced sets of compression springs l? of suitable forniwhose free ends bear down en the cleats 13. Chains or other flexible members 1S are fastened on and wrapped around the shafts and depend thence to connections with the disc it). A. hand control lever S19 is attached to one of the shafts, both shafts however being connected in driving relation by a chain drive 2f) or the like. Onvn1anipulating said lever therefore, both shafts are rotated, causing the disc l() to beraised or lowered, the extent of Asuch movement being at the judgment of the operator and depending on the size ofthe nuts to be handled between the discs.` Tomaintain thevlever in any position to which it may bemovechl attach a slotted'rod 21 thereto (see Fig. l) which extends down to an adjacent beam 2, lthe l'slot 2l."i1i'tlie"rod being engaged by an adjustable clanipfng screw 22 mounted in said beam. l

The disc lO is centrally orificed with a sleeve 23 projecting up from said orifice.

Projecting into said sleeve in spaced relation thereto is the discharge spout 24 of a hopper 25 supported bvuprights l at a suitable height.k Slidably mounted` between said sleeve and spout is a vertically adjustable sleeve 26 having opposed pins 27 therevon passing through vertical slots 28 in the the orifice is greater than that between the actualhulling or rubbing surfaces of the discs. V

The adjustable sleeve 26 being in the plane of said greater distance, it may be positioned so as to suitably regulate or restrict the vertical height of the opening leading to the rubbing surfaces of the discs, as may befound necessary to suitdifferent sized nuts.

lIt will be notedt'hat the adjustment of the sleeve is entirely independent of that of the discs themselves. The latter are adjusted to properly handle nuts of different sizes, while the sleeve is adjusted to control the rate of flow of nuts to the rubbing surfaces regardless of the size of the nut-s. For instance, when liulling nuts which are obvieusly easy to hull and require but a light rubbing contact with the discs, the latter are widely separated. In that case, without the adjustable feed-control sleeve, the rate of fiow of nuts to the rubbing surfaces and the consequent output, might be greater than the ability of the pickers and other operators io properly ltake Careof.

kSeated on the disc 5 concentric with the sleeve 26 is a smooth steel plate 33. This plate prevents grinding up of the almonds should the sleeve` 26 be lowered to'such an extent as to cut off the-flow of nuts entirely for Ythe time being and'while thc disc 5 is still turning.

It desired however lf may fix on the shaft f immediately above said plate a small l1ori zontal vane structure 33t, arranged to throw .nuts coming in contact therewith outwardly and past the sleeve. This device also acts to keep the nuts agit-ated and prevents them ever becoming jammed together.

'llhefeatures heretofore described constitute my Aimproved hulling and shelling mechanism, which can be made as a unitary `machine to be used with any suitable form 'offfseparating or other handling means.

'II prefer however to incorporate such sting and other ineens with the hailing;

Civ

' shaft 4l.

The `outlet 8 discharges into a vertical suction pipea leading to a driven suction fan mounted above the h ulling structure, the discharge pipe 8S of,l said fan leading away from said struct-ure. The pipe 34 opens at its lower end intothe, lowerend of a driven conveyor 37 ontowhich the hear/y matter (nuts and hulls) from the outlet 8 drop. This conveyor carries said matter upwardly and deposits it into a separating structure 38 suspended from flexible hangers 39 and reciproeated from a pitman l() driven from a shaft el. The separating structure has a downward slope from its end adjacent the conveyor 37 toward the hopper 25 and terminates above the latter.

Said structure includes a number of superimposed and spaced screens l2 of different mesh, as is common practice.

Certain of said screens have discharge chutes or spouts thereunder at their lower ends, which convey the matter from the respective screens onto a combined `refuse and hand-picking draper structure all. @ne screen however (preferably the one under the uppermost one) has a discharge chute l5 leading to and discharging into Jthe hopper 25. This is to enable unhulled nuts smaller than the average but too large lo pass through the third screen, to be auto matically returned to the huller for further treatment.

The purpose of the suction fan is to remove all light matter such as leaves, fluff etc. from the nuts before separation process,`

and since the suction pipe 34 communicates with the interior of the hulling chamber through the outlet 8, said chamber is kept clear of such light matter at all times, and which otherwise would inevitably collect therein and tend to ultimately choke up the nut rubbing surfaces of the discs.

Driving of the different members maybe accomplished in various ways. In the present instance-the shaft fil ais driven direct from a power plant i6 mounted on the machine, such plant being a gas engine, electric motor or the like. The fan is driven from the shaft al by a belt 4T, while the shaft al. is driven from the fan by means of a belt -lS driving a. shaft 49, the latter being connected in driving relation with the shaft it by gearing 50. y drapers are also suitably driven from the It will be evident however that the driving arrangement can be varied as may be found desirable.

' In operation the nuts to be treated are ,dumped into the hopper, the feed-control sleeve beingadjnsted to give the desired rat@ ef feed at the .este t@ it@ trilling rIhe conveyor and` surfaces.' The vertically adjustable disc is also adjusted in itssetti-n-g relative to thel revolving disc to give the proper spacing for the size ofznuts being worked on. The nuts, vas they pass under the feed sleeve, work toward `vthe rim ofJ the discs owing to the action of centrifugal force caused bythe revolvingdisc. lAs the nuts thus move out- .wardly, they are rubbed between the rough ysurfaces ofthe discs, causing the hulls to be removed fromI the nuts. rlhe hulls and nuts drop ol'l' the under disc at the rim thereof and onto the floor, from which they are swept into the outlet 8 by the vanes 7 revolving with'said disc 5.

Ifvthe nut-s are already liulled and are to be shelled, the-discs are set up closer, but otherwise no adjustments are necessary. In the case of hullii'ig, the nuts themselves will never be mangled or otherwise damaged, and if they are being shelled, the meats will not be bruised or split, since the discs are held a definite distance apart, which distance is less than the thickness of the nut or meat, asthe case may be.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I havey produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objectsl of the invention as set forth herein.

W'hile this specification sets forth in de.- tail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted te as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended lainis.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A huller including vertically spaced discs between which the produce to be hulled passes, spring means acting to force the upper disc toward the lower one, flexiblel members under tension secured to said upper disc independent of the springs and resisting the action of the springs, and means for raising and lowering said members at will.

Q. A huller including vertically spaced discs between which the produce to be vhulled passes, spring means acting to force Y the upper disc toward the lower one, spaced shafts disposed in horizontal relation above the upper discs, meansV connecting said shafts to cause them to turn together at the Vsame speed, turning means applied to oneV shaft, and flexible n'ieinbers wound at spaced intervals on the shafts and depending to the upper disc and connected to the latter.

3. A huller including vertically spaced discs between which the produce to be hulled passes, vertically adjustable means supportingthe upper disc, a plurality of springs bearing down on the upper disc and .arranged as a number of pairs, and equaliziag means @peacetime the pairs el. A huller including vertically spaced discs between which the produce toV be hulled lpasses, spaced shafts disposed` in horizontal relation above the upper disc, Hexible members depending from and `wound on said, shafts at spaced points to support the disc, springs mounted on the sha'lt's and bearing down on the disc, and means for rotating the Shafts.

A huller including;` vertically spaced discs between which the produce to be hulled passes, spaced shafts disposed in l flexible horizontalrelation above the upper disc, members depending v from and vwound on saidl shafts at spaced points to support the disc, flat spring means bearing on the discs and arranged as opposed pairs, eyes formed on the springs intermediate their ends and through which the shafts pass, the springs projecting thereabove,

'and connections between the upper ends of the springs of corresponding pairs.

In testimony whereo1 I affix my signature.

Louis K. VAUGHAN. 

